Changes to pathway to Citizenship

[JaysonLuck]

23 hours ago, seraphim said:

Stayed up last night to complete and submit our application, here's hoping there's no unnecessary delays on it, as ours should be textbook straightforward!  Only time will tell, but from a conversation with immigration yesterday, they are still business as usual in terms of processing until they get told there is a new way! 

 

 

Do you meet 4 years PR? 

Thanks 

[seraphim]

26 minutes ago, JaysonLuck said:

Do you meet 4 years PR? 

Thanks 

Yep. We came on PR so have 4 years, no more than 12 months outside Oz in total, no more than 90 days of which in the last 12 months, so should meet residency requirements.

[Annoisa]

On 04/05/2017 at 9:47 PM, JaysonLuck said:

You do not need to do ielts test at this moment until early of 2018. 

Hi Jayson of course i need to do that in 2018

But if i want to do it now for university admission will it be helpful within two years after i do it? I mean i can show same results for citizenship right?

 

Edited May 6, 2017 by Annoisa

[wombatinabox]

44 minutes ago, Annoisa said:

Hi Jayson of course i need to do that in 2018

But if i want to do it now for university admission will it be helpful within two years after i do it? I mean i can show same results for citizenship right?

 

No you can't 

[Zet01]

On ‎5‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 10:19 AM, BadgerLady said:

Hey everyone,

NONE of this legislation has yet been passed - it has to get through parliament and is open to public opinion until 1st June. That means us.

With the help of some similarly affected people on the internet, I've made a video to publicise our objection to the proposed citizenship pathway changes:

It's already had over 50,000 views on Facebook, has been shared by Labour MPs, has been published on the ABC's Q and A website and is awaiting its first TV appearance on SBS. 

Please share it, and PLEASE email citizenship.submissions@border.gov.au so that they know we're out here. 

The consultation papers that informed this were very foggy about how affected migrants might react, so we have a genuine opportunity to repair what's happening :-)

My IMMI shows you can only apply on Paper application if you meet the new criteria. Even if it has not been passed, you are not allowed to apply using the old rules.

I already sent an email to citizenship.submissions@border.gov.au asking for reconsideration for existing PR holders who are eligible under the old rules. I hope it helps.

[Margaret 138]

Hi everyone 

I have been in touch with my agent in perth WA. I have had PR since 15th may 2015 & before that I was on a 457 visa from 2012. On the old rules I had to of been in the country 5 yrs consecutively &in 5 yrs & 1 day I could apply for my citizenship. So now they have changed the citizenship rules I have to of held my PR for 4 yrs so I cannot apply till 2019. I feel so upset by this as I was took  my English test & of course it's only valid for 3 yrs so I have to take it again!!!! I think the changes should be for applicants from April 2017 have not applied for PR. Why should I be penalised  for this? 

The changes do apply now & the citizenship rules are backdated to April 2017 & there is nothing anyone can do. There are other changes as well for citizenship. English test, I understand you have to prove that you are involved in community work & have a full time job.

 

 

[wombatinabox]

23 minutes ago, Margaret 138 said:

Hi everyone 

I have been in touch with my agent in perth WA. I have had PR since 15th may 2015 & before that I was on a 457 visa from 2012. On the old rules I had to of been in the country 5 yrs consecutively &in 5 yrs & 1 day I could apply for my citizenship. So now they have changed the citizenship rules I have to of held my PR for 4 yrs so I cannot apply till 2019. I feel so upset by this as I was took  my English test & of course it's only valid for 3 yrs so I have to take it again!!!! I think the changes should be for applicants from April 2017 have not applied for PR. Why should I be penalised  for this? 

The changes do apply now & the citizenship rules are backdated to April 2017 & there is nothing anyone can do. There are other changes as well for citizenship. English test, I understand you have to prove that you are involved in community work & have a full time job.

 

 

The back dating is the main issue, if it applies to new future arrivals it would make sense since those arrivals will know what they are getting.

Edited May 9, 2017 by wombatinabox

[whtzau]

On 2017/5/9 at 2:27 PM, Zet01 said:

My IMMI shows you can only apply on Paper application if you meet the new criteria. Even if it has not been passed, you are not allowed to apply using the old rules.

I already sent an email to citizenship.submissions@border.gov.au asking for reconsideration for existing PR holders who are eligible under the old rules. I hope it helps.

Hi Zet,

My IMMI only shows following. as the same as yours ?

 

 

he changes will not apply to applications made before 20 April 2017 (that is, the current rules will continue to apply to applications made before 20 April 2017).

Applicants will receive communication on the implementation of these measures and any additional information and documentation that may be required to support their application.

If one or both of the scenarios above apply to the applicant then they will need to lodge a paper application.

Before commencing the online Citizenship application check the application eligibility criteria.

Applicants cannot apply online if one or both of the following scenarios apply to them:

• the applicant entered Australia before July 1990 and has not travelled outside of Australia since that date or
• the applicant is seeking an exemption or concession to the application fee.

If one or both of the scenarios above apply to the applicant then they will need to lodge a paper application.

[Keep me in oz]

Well folks things are looking positive for me! I became eligible under the old rules as of today ( 5 years in oz but only 1 as pr) and the online system is letting me apply! I've filled out everything and can hit submit! Only problem is I'm outside of Australia atm, dam! I will have to wait until I'm back in oz to sumbit otherwise it asks me for the country I want to take the test in, Australia isn't on the list of options! 

 

I hope that this is a really good sign! They haven't blocked us from applying which can only be good right! 

[whtzau]

4 hours ago, Keep me in oz said:

Well folks things are looking positive for me! I became eligible under the old rules as of today ( 5 years in oz but only 1 as pr) and the online system is letting me apply! I've filled out everything and can hit submit! Only problem is I'm outside of Australia atm, dam! I will have to wait until I'm back in oz to sumbit otherwise it asks me for the country I want to take the test in, Australia isn't on the list of options! 

 

I hope that this is a really good sign! They haven't blocked us from applying which can only be good right! 

@keep me in oz,

 

When you filled in your online application form, did it pop up following warning message at page 5 ?

 

Residence eligibility

Warning: The applicant may not currently meet the residence criteria to apply for conferral of Australian citizenship.

[whtzau]

@keep in in oz,

may i ask if you obtained pr visa on 10/05/2016 or 11/05/2016 ? Thanks.

 

 

[Keep me in oz]

12 minutes ago, whtzau said:

@keep me in oz,

 

When you filled in your online application form, did it pop up following warning message at page 5 ?

 

Residence eligibility

Warning: The applicant may not currently meet the residence criteria to apply for conferral of Australian citizenship.

It sure did!!

[whtzau]

Just now, Keep me in oz said:

It sure did!!

i wander if dibp already modified the online application system with new checkup for  4 yr PR ..

btw, did you obtain PR status on 10/5/2016 or 11/5/2016 ? thx.

[Keep me in oz]

15 minutes ago, whtzau said:

i wander if dibp already modified the online application system with new checkup for  4 yr PR ..

btw, did you obtain PR status on 10/5/2016 or 11/5/2016 ? thx.

Well i have only had pr for 1 year so I don't think it's updated yet! 

I have had pr one year as of the 10 may!

 

[whtzau]

8 minutes ago, Keep me in oz said:

Well i have only had pr for 1 year so I don't think it's updated yet! 

I have had pr one year as of the 10 may!

 

Thx mate, let's see how it goes ...

for those applicants who lodged application on or after 20/04/2017 are very concerned about this proposed change.

[Keep me in oz]

6 minutes ago, whtzau said:

Thx mate, let's see how it goes ...

for those applicants who lodged application on or after 20/04/2017 are very concerned about this proposed change.

Yea me too! I'm not convinced it will go through still! I think they will place it on hold! But I think it's a good thing it will let me apply! 

The law isn't changed yet!!  

[whtzau]

1 minute ago, Keep me in oz said:

Yea me too! I'm not convinced it will go through still! I think they will place it on hold! But I think it's a good thing it will let me apply! 

The law isn't changed yet!!  

from change to bill and then from bill to law, refer to last change as Australian Citizenship Bill 2005, it takes over than 1.5 years,

i wander if it's against any law if immigration put all the applications received on or after 20/4/2017 on hold for "1.5 YEARS".

[Keep me in oz]

2 minutes ago, whtzau said:

from change to bill and then from bill to law, refer to last change as Australian Citizenship Bill 2005, it takes over than 1.5 years,

i wander if it's against any law if immigration put all the applications received on or after 20/4/2017 on hold for "1.5 YEARS".

Yea that's what I'm hoping!!! They can't hold off for that long and some of ours will slip through!

[bwatt99]

1 hour ago, Keep me in oz said:

Yea that's what I'm hoping!!! They can't hold off for that long and some of ours will slip through!

So what does all this mean? Wife was eligible 1st june 2017 was on partner visa which is 2 yrs temp and 2 yrs pr come july this year she will have been 3 yrs pr.

But under these new rules she cannot apply till july 2018 as needs thar extra 1 yr as pr.

Do we still apply and can you online? Or should it be paper based? Prefer online.

Or will she simply not be able to apply as all these rules etc etc are not even passed yet.

I know its backdated etc but has anyone been able to apply online and got further under old rules.

I would hate that come 1st june she could have applied but we left it till the extra yr is up but could have sooner or we just dreaming.

 

[Parley]

On 5/6/2017 at 9:33 AM, wombatinabox said:

It is your duty if you are part of this thread to submit your objections to citizenship.submissions@border.gov.au 

Deadline is June 1st. 

I have made my submissions, and focused on the issue of back dating these rules. Should only apply to future arrivals if at all. 

And if we strongly support the changes is it also our duty to make a submission of support ?

[Komalami]

Guys will we get any approval letter After citizenship test ??

[faol]

17 hours ago, Komalami said:

Guys will we get any approval letter After citizenship test ??

yes, if approved

[NicF]

19 hours ago, Parley said:

And if we strongly support the changes is it also our duty to make a submission of support ?

Absolutely @Parley - if you strongly support the changes you should also make a submission of support.  The MPs and senators are there to represent all their constituents and to be able to do that effectively they need to understand the views of the constituents.

[Keep me in oz]

23 hours ago, bwatt99 said:

So what does all this mean? Wife was eligible 1st june 2017 was on partner visa which is 2 yrs temp and 2 yrs pr come july this year she will have been 3 yrs pr.

But under these new rules she cannot apply till july 2018 as needs thar extra 1 yr as pr.

Do we still apply and can you online? Or should it be paper based? Prefer online.

Or will she simply not be able to apply as all these rules etc etc are not even passed yet.

I know its backdated etc but has anyone been able to apply online and got further under old rules.

I would hate that come 1st june she could have applied but we left it till the extra yr is up but could have sooner or we just dreaming.

 

Essentially nobody knows what's happening. 

 

All I know is that I only have 1 year pr and I am applying online in the hope that I get my citizenship before the laws change! It's a long shot, but a shot!

[bwatt99]

15 minutes ago, Keep me in oz said:

Essentially nobody knows what's happening. 

 

All I know is that I only have 1 year pr and I am applying online in the hope that I get my citizenship before the laws change! It's a long shot, but a shot!

Yes but can you? Or have the not changed that part online yet?

I know from experience with mine i could only apply last year on a date when i was eligible.

But as we have new rules are we still eligible to apply under old rules if we are what happens then?

They leave it on hold? It slips through? Or the laws dont pass and we have head start?

Or could they reject it and not refund the money?

It would be great if my wife can apply as it would have been 1st june. But now to qualify under new rules as pr she is now july next yr which will be the 4 yrs of pr for her.

We if she is eligible to do online still on old date will give it a shot but surely they not cancek it as its a bit of work just getting all the stuff together.

And as for any police check im not going to rush into getting that as only good for a certain time 12 months if i remember?